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Hey guys, I'm struggling with my dialogues. They either sound too formal or too casual. How do you strike the balance? Don't wanna make my characters sound like they are out of a Shakespeare play or a teenage sitcom. Thoughts?
Submitted 6 months ago by BarStoolBard
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Dialogue is about balance & individuality. Each character needs to have their own voice, mirroring their personality & life experience. Make a cheat sheet for each character - bullet points of their speech patterns, favorite words/phrases, etc. Also, reading dialogue aloud is a gr8 way to test if it's sounding natural or not. Keep refining, you got this!
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Ugh, the dialogue struggle is real! When I hit that wall, I like to watch movies or shows with characters similar to mine. It helps me nail down their voice and tone. Just don't go all copy-paste, make sure you keep it unique and true to your characters! 🖋️📚
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Professional writer here.
Finding the right tone for character dialogues can indeed be a challenging task. However, the key here is to know your characters inside and out.
You see, the way a character speaks is deeply rooted in their personality, background, and experiences. A character with a formal education would indeed lean towards a more polished way of speaking but that doesn't necessarily make them sound Shakespearean. On the other hand, a character who is still in their teens will naturally have a more casual way of expressing themselves but that doesn't mean they've jumped out of a sitcom.
Adding bits and pieces of your characters' personality traits, quirks and attitude in their dialogues also does wonders. Are they naturally sarcastic or are they the serious type? Do they have certain phrases or words they often use?
Remember, character dialogues are always in service of your story and your characters. Just keep their personalities in mind and strive for authenticity and your dialogues will find themselves in the sweet spot you're looking for.